Any Station Changes Planned for 2013?

[KY6R]

A year ago, after missing a few DX-peditions, I worked hard to completely upgrade my antenna system. That led to really learning EZNec, YW, Yagi Stress and HFTA and my latest passion for not just building, but designing my own antennas. I think I had more DX-ing fun in 2012 than ever - because I made the biggest breakthrough technology wise.

Do you have any plans to upgrade your station so you can work more DX in 2013? Did you make any big changes that bore fruit in 2012?

[N2RJ]

Antenna repairs for sure.

Probably a better topband TX setup. I'm thinking phased inverted Ls.

[N1UK]

I am planning on building a flag receiving antenna for 160m and 80m.

73 Mark N1UK

[KB3LIX]

I MUST get my doublet center feed point up higher.
20' agl just doesn't cut it.
I got LUCKY using it to get Auckland Island on 30m.

[K7KB]

I need to do some work for a decent 80M antenna so I can finish up DXCC on that band for my 5BDXCC. Eventually I would like to do something for 160M but right now I just don't have the real estate to do much on that band. And then I would like to convince the wife that I really need a FTDX-5000MP. The latter will probably be the most difficult project to achieve 

John K7KB

[NK7Z]

New Tower
New Beam
New Rotor
Total rebuild of the ham desk and reinstall of all radios and accys.
Adding grounds to tower and desk
Grounded entry points to house

[AF5C]

Hope to get a small beam up again. Found a MA5B at a good price, now need to find a rotor at an equally good price.  Might try to get a rig with UHF and a beam up again to play on the satellites again also.

John AF5CC

[W1VT]

Wife agreed getting a new rig would be a great idea.  

Also planning on an 80 meter vertical and receiving array.

It took just 3-1/2 months to go from 200 to 250 confirmed--just got a card from 5T5BV!

[WA8UEG]

Gotta take care of the 80 meter double extended zepp that Sandy destroyed. Other then that will up grade my 6 meter rig from the IC505 I currently use.

[AD9DX]

I have quite a few upgrades this next year.  My shack is getting moved into what was our dining room, now enclosed and soundproofed.  My feedline is getting replaced, and I am hoping to put a 3ele 6m antenna in the attic (HOA restrictions suck).  I am getting my new to me amplifier back from Dick Byrd any day now, so I have to run 220v to the new shack.  I am going to be replacing my computer in my shack and hopefully get a few more new antennas up in the woods this spring.  Looks like with the list I have, I need to work some overtime 

[W4VKU]

Wishlist for 2013
----------------
 - Install the Dxengg preamp on the 80/160m W7IUV flag.
 - Relocate the K9AY loop further away to compare with the flag.
 - Perhaps go through the pain and install the 80m 4-Square.
   My wife showed the yard to her friend who was complaining that her hubby is
   making a mess of the house with wires. Now she was gonna go and
   apologize to him. So the cobweb on the ground in terms or radials will grow 3 fold
   with the 4-Sq.
 - Install the butternut HF6V for a backup antenna and for use on the remote station setup.
 - stop buying crap and then looking for a project
 - Tune the second wire for the 80m vertical, so swr is flat over both cw & ssb parts of the band.

Actions that worked for 2012
--------------
 - Installing the Steppir DB18 early in the year helped 40m/30m hunting.
 - Battling mother nature to let the 3ele steppir rotate un-impeded by tree limb growth
   Hiring tree climbers like 4 times a year ($$$).
 - Installation of the W7IUV flag - helped work 5T on 160m/80m. I could hear
    ZL9 on 80m when they were working EU.
 - Installed the 80m and 160m verticals. The 80m vertical has much better
    performance on the long haul over 4000 miles as compared to the G5RV at 65ft.
 - Addition of the legal limit amp and the big palstar tuner
 - Addition of audio Peak/Notch filter to work the weak ones on 80/160m

[N4CR]

2013 wishlist:

Have 8 sections Rohn 25, guy wire, grips, ground anchors, rotor and rotor automation. Have hex built except string the wires which I figure is an easy last step.

Gotta get that all vertical instead of horizontal in pieces.

Looking at a K3 and an AL-82. I'll see what kind of deals are floating around at Hamcation.

I have two sections of hardline to go down the fence line to make those antennas waaay out back seem like they're not so way out back. Got the 7/8 hardline, need connectors.

If I get it all done, it's a fantastic year. If not, It's a great year. Life is good even if I never do any of it. My wife thinks antennas are cool.

[N5MOA]

I put up a 160m inverted-L a month ago.

That took me from 14 to 19 zones, and 39 to 54 DXCC, but I still have problems hearing some stations, so my next project is a receive antenna.

[NU1O]

I am going to have the US Tower motor added to my manual crankup TX-455. I have problems with my lower back and it is getting harder and harder to crank the tower up, plus I'm getting older and thinking to the future.

Either in 2013 or 2014 I will add a 2 element 40 meter beam on the same mast as the Bencher Skyhawk. The combined wind load may slightly exceed the rating of the tower but with the motor I can lower and crank back up the tower in short order w/o killing myself.  Array Solutions sells the chrome-moly mast I will need if I put two antennas on the same mast.

Install my first ever antenna, the Butternut HF-6V, and lay down some ground radials.  I started too late this year and don't like working in cold weather so I never finished the job.

I had a tree service prune and take down 2 trees in my neighbor's yard which were stopping my antenna from rotating 360 degrees when the tower is lowered in bad weather. The tree guy said he could raise my wires much higher so I will look to get an 80 meter loop up as high as he can safely climb. I also need to buy my neighbor a bottle of Scotch for XMAS for letting me do that tree work.

The station is mostly all new gear but I need a very good watt meter. Either the LP by Telepost, PowerMaster by Array solutions, or I may splurge for the Alpha watt meter.

Probably in 2014 I will experiment with an inverted L or loading the tower for 160 meters.

The process NEVER ends. It seems Dxers are never totally happy with their current station.

73,

Chris/NU1O

[NQ3X]

Go vertical instead of horizontal. 

When we first moved into the house, it was easiest to use the existing flagpole as an antenna hoist for a doublet.  And it works.  Sort of okay.  Sometimes.  But we're right on the water overlooking Buck Island, and I've space for a vertical - an understanding neighbor on one side and a rental "villa" on the other.  I can thread elevated radials stealthily.  Thinking about an S9 and putting my SGC-239 at the base.  With that less than 10' from the Caribbean my signal ought to improve immensely.

Anyway, that's my plan.  Want to get it finished before ARRL DX.

73 de Bob WP2XX